A Second Attempt at Life
by mistandstars
Summary: Hermione Granger, war heroine, is coping with survivor's guilt. She must abide by the laws thrown her way. But there are promises to keep. And miles to go before she sleeps. My take on the Marriage Law. No "love at first touch" in this one. (Originally rated as K , but I may change the rating as I go ahead with the story, because, well.)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi. This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction ever. I've been reading a lot of them these past few months, and to say that I'm addicted, would definitely be an understatement. Pardon me for any mistakes; I've not done this before. Do send in any thoughts you may have, all kinds of suggestions are most welcome. If you have any questions, PM me.**

Chapter One:

"Miss Granger, get Madame Pomfrey, NOW!"

Minerva McGonagall's stern voice boomed in Hermione's ears. She ran as fast as she could, with her throbbing head and broken body. Visions of her potions professor swirled in her mind, lying on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, his eyes glazed and blood seeping through a gash in his neck. She shook her head and burst through the Hospital wing.

Blood. Dying people. Grieving friends. Hopeless families. Distraught eyes seeking each other out. A family of redheads clustered around a cot. Hermione thought she caught a glimpse of a familiar redhead lying on the bed, but she looked away. She needed to get to the matron before giving into her fears and facing the harsh reality.

Making her way to the end of the Hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey was murmuring an incantation over an unconscious Neville Longbottom, Hermione called out. "Madame Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall sent me. It's Professor Snape, he needs immediate medical attention, he's-", the words stuck in her throat. She watched the matron give a solemn nod, grab a box of potions from a nearby desk and hustle out of the room, after she'd told her where to find the wounded and possibly dead potions master.

" _No, Hermione, he's not yet-"_

" _How do you know, he probably is. He didn't look good when you left him in the Shack."_

" _There's far too many dead already."_

" _Precisely, it wouldn't matter if you mourned for him as well."_

" _No, not till I know for sure. Just like with Ron-"_

"Ron," she muttered feverishly, as she hurried towards the wall of redheads, shaking her head, trying to ignore the growing feeling of dread in her heart and the warring voices in her head.

"Hey, 'ermione," a feeble voice spluttered, as she neared her best friend's cot. "S'good of you to come before I-" he coughed out blood. "Ron, no, don't…. Please, no," George Weasley murmured, as he clutched at his little brother's hand. Tears streaked down his face, following the paths of the ones he had already shed for his twin. "Poppy said he's bled too much, internally as well. Blood Replenishing Potion won't heal the organs inside, and there are too many of them to repair," Mr Weasley filled Hermione in. She saw the sorrow reflected in his eyes and the exhaustion that came with being strong for the sake of his tattered family. She knew there was nothing to be done, as she watched the helpless man drop his eyes to the floor. Ginny's silent weeping soaked Harry's blood-stained shirt, as he gazed at his dying friend with tears glistening in his green eyes. "Oh Ron," Hermione broke down, unable to keep her sobs in anymore. She sat by his side and held onto him for dear life.

"You guys, 'ey Charlie, Bill, never dreamed I'd see y'all cry," Ron laughed, which turned into a hacking cough. "No, really, mum, dad, all of you. You can't let it get to you. Promise me. Take care of each other and don't miss me so much that you forget to enjoy the freedom we've fought for. We won, alright? Cheer up a bit."

"And Harry, mate, try to keep your hands off my baby sister for a while, will ya?" Harry laughed through his quickly falling tears, as he shook his head at his friend's attempt at humour. "Hermione, don't cry into the nights. Mum, you too. Georgie - can I call you that? -", George nodded, "keep those Nosebleed Nougats coming, a'right? Charlie, you go get that Romanian girl," Ron winked, "and Bill, get Fleur knocked up." George snickered and then sniffled. "Merlin knows mum needs a grandchild or two to keep her busy. Perce, mum's never gonna forgive you for getting hitched secretly. Make sure your kids don't get your looks." Bill snorted and nudged Percy in the ribs. "Dad, look after them all, please. 'Mione, you know I loved you -", he choked out as Hermione squeezed his hand gently, "I always will. But you've got to move on, hear me? All of you. Promise me." Ron coughed again, this time spewing blood over his clothes as he struggled for air.

His desperate eyes locked onto each of their teary ones till they bowed in agreement. He looked at Hermione at last and whispered, "Promise me, please. Don't give up." She leaned in and softly said, "I promise, Ron. I love you too." He gave a soft smile at that and closed his eyes. His eyes fluttered open again for a moment as he gazed at Hermione and then they lost him.

Ron Weasley, the brave Gryffindor who stood by his friends and family through the worst of times, breathed his last on that first night after the Second Wizarding War, succumbing to his injuries and leaving his family with promises to move on after his death. Hermione saw the life in him flicker and escape, she saw the shine in his eyes die out, as his gaze changed from one of love to one of oblivion. She watched Harry reach out and brush his best friend's eyes closed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Paperboy Jacky, who gave me my very first review. Shout outs to everyone who read my first chapter, especially dani asmar potter and kmjb - thank you for following/favourite-ing so early on in the fanfic. I appreciate your support.**

 **This chapter's a bit shorter, I hope you will excuse me. I'll mostly upload after 25th May now, because I have two major exams coming up before that.**

 **I try to stay in character as much as I can. The only outright change I've made so far is exchanging lives - Ron died and Snape lives. Other than that, everything is canon compliant till the battle and I'll do my best to keep it so. Do let me know if I'm deviating or going too much OOC. Thanks. xxx**

Chapter Two:

The funerals went by in a daze. Hermione stood before the graves of her loved ones and shed many a tear, till they would fall no more. She left pieces of happy memories before each grave. She lay a canary cream wrapper near Fred, a photograph of Teddy near Remus and Tonks and a toy camera near Colin Creevey. When she reached Ron's grave, she paused. "He has everything already," she mused. "He has my heart." Shivering in the cold, she conjured fresh flowers and kept them near Ron's tombstone. In the distance, she thought she saw a dark figure near Professor Dumbledore's grave, and just as she was about to make her way there to see who it was, Professor McGonagall strode towards the man and spoke to him in low tones. She turned away and sighed. The transfiguration-professor-turned-Headmistress seemed agitated and she thought it best to leave her alone.

She spent the next week at the Burrow, but the house felt quiet and empty. She'd often stumble across Mrs Weasley staring at a photograph of Ron or Fred and was at a loss as to what she should say or do. George had bouts of depression and he would sit in one spot for hours, staring into the distance. He'd then Floo away, presumably to his joke shop, and return in a much lighter mood. She even received a faint smile from him one day, although it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Mr Weasley was the silent rock of the family, keeping everyone afloat through their sadness. He spent many hours holding Ginny as she cried in his arms, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words into the little girl's ears. He slowly, but surely, got the family to smile once in a while, gently nudging them away from their grief. One day, he stopped Hermione on her way to her room and asked if he could have a word.

"Hermione, how are you holding up?"

Hermione looked into his sincere eyes and saw the concern written in them. "I'm… Not alright, I guess. It's so hard and I feel so helpless. But I promised him I'd not let life pass me by, so I suppose I should get around to doing that."

"Indeed. Maybe you could start by going out for some air, occasionally, or catching up with your school mates?"

She bowed her head. "Mr Weasley, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about looking for a house, what with all of this-"

"Hermione, no, you misunderstood. This is your house as much as it is ours. You're family and we're not going to let you go so easily. I simply meant that maybe meeting others would ease the pain a bit, take your mind off everything. There's an order meeting next week, you could go out after that to Diagon Alley or meet some friends."

"I suppose I could do that…." She looked up at him, gave him a weak smile and said, "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me."

Hermione spent the next week reading the Daily Prophet, helping Molly in the kitchen and lounging around with Harry and Ginny. Their moods had lifted significantly, probably Mr Weasley's doing, and they laughed around occasionally. She often had to wander on her own though, for Ginny began expressing her love for Harry in ways which involved more than mere words; so she was forced to make herself scarce in order to avoid being scarred for eternity. She spent that time talking to George, who told her that he'd been seeing Angelina more often, and by the way his eyes lit up when he spoke about the ex-Gryffindor chaser, she realised that she was much more to him than just a girlfriend. Although she had promised herself as well as Ron that she would try to move on, she felt as though a huge part of her had been cut out. She was empty from within, a mere shadow of the once-lively young girl. She enjoyed the company of her friends, but rarely spoke, choosing to answer questions thrown her way by mere shakes of her head. She felt like she was dead, like her soul was with Ron, wherever he was. She felt guilty for outliving him, but hid her feelings from those around her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

The morning when the Order of the Phoenix meeting was to be held found Hermione Granger on the couch at Grimmauld Place, reading the Daily Prophet as she sipped her tea, a light frown forming on her forehead.

 _ **Potions Professor: Problems in Paradise?**_

 _ **-Rita Skeeter**_

 _Yesterday, our brilliant news reporters spotted Severus Snape, ex-Potions master at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, leaving the Ministry of Magic after his final hearing before the Wizengamot. Closely following him was the Chosen One, who tried to sidestep our reporter, but obviously in vain. We caught up with the war hero for a little chat and his words left us itching for more. It sounded like although the charges against the ex-Death Eater were dismissed, Severus Snape does have a lot on his mind. We don't have all the details of the courtroom hearing yet, but it is believed that the Golden Boy had a big part to play in the trial._

 _As the accused left the ministry in a whirl of black robes, we caught sight of a rather disturbing wound on his neck, which was partially hidden by a bottle green scarf (earning a disgusted look or two from our fashion columnists). When questioned about it, Harry Potter choked back tears and simply stated that "Professor Snape had been gravely wounded and we are all very happy that he is alright." The Potions professor did not seem too pleased with Harry Potter's support though. An insider told us that he snarled rather viciously when the Gryffindor presented his memories as evidence before the Wizengamot. Word has it that the young boy is yet to receive a 'thank you' from the surly man, but we highly doubt the likelihood of said gratitude._

 _Harry Potter, however, seems content, as he told us, "I did not do this because I wanted a big show of appreciation, I just did it because he's an innocent and brave man who doesn't deserve to go to Azkaban." We still have our suspicions, though. Has the boy grown to care for the renowned potions brewer, or is there more than meets the eye? Keep your omnioculars trained on this spot for updates on the lives of Severus Snape and Harry Potter._

"The entire article could have simply been cut down to - 'all charges against Severus Snape dismissed' - and what's with the 'choked back tears'? Harry crying for Snape?" Hermione scoffed mentally. Her musings were cut short as Molly Weasley called from the drawing room, "In here, everybody. The meeting's about to start."

Hermione hurried in, pausing at the door to take stock of the members present. It looked as though the entire order had assembled; the room was rather crammed and Hermione took one of the few remaining chairs before it could be taken. She easily recognised Professors McGonagall and Snape, the Weasleys, Harry, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hagrid, Aberforth Dumbledore, Sturgis Podmore and a few other faces she could not place immediately.

George Weasley popped in through the Floo, a wide smile across his freckled face and announced, "I'm engaged! She said yes, she said yes." His brothers rushed to congratulate him as Ginny and Hermione shared knowing smiles. He had bought the ring a week ago and it had taken him several sleepless nights of "practise" before he got around to asking Angelina. Merlin knew, that girl had done him a truckload of good over the years and it was about time they took it further.

"Alright, everybody settle down. Now, we have a few important matters to be discussed," Professor McGonagall began. "Firstly, congratulations are in order, Kingsley." A few members raised their glasses as George spoke up, "All hail our new Minister for Magic! That was a bloody good speech, Kingsley." Professor McGonagall gave George a wry look and ploughed on, undeterred, "Yes, very well. Unfortunately, his new position does not afford him many perks. Kingsley?"

"Yes, Minerva," the Minister cleared his throat and continued. "There has been a sudden rise in the number of attacks against muggle-born families and we suspect that the remaining Death Eaters are behind this. While the Ministry is still apprehensive about revealing this information, I strongly suggest tipping off all your muggle-born friends discreetly. All order members must take extra care, of course. If it is the Death Eaters, they would not give up an opportunity to attack one of us. Stay together as much as you can, till this is resolved. Make sure someone always knows where you are, wands at hand, eyes peeled open, you know the drill. Especially the muggle-borns." He gave a pointed glance at Hermione.

"Oh don't worry about Hermione, here. She's staying with us at the Burrow," Mrs Weasley said. Kingsley shook his head, "Not for long, Molly." At Hermione's raised eyebrow, he went on, "The Ministry has passed a new law this morning. The Wizengamot acknowledged that the population of the wizarding world is dwindling at an alarming rate and hence approved and revived the Marriage Law. Indefinitely."

"E-excuse me?" Ginny said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Yes. This matter needs to be discussed before the law is made public. All unmarried witches and wizards between the ages of 17 and 40, please stay back. The rest of you are dismissed. Molly, Arthur, you may, of course, remain." Professor McGonagall said, her lips stretched into a thin line. The room emptied significantly, but the tension in the air thickened.

Kingsley spoke up, "Before I begin, know that my hands are tied. I may be Minister, but I have no say once the Wizengamot passes a law. Moving on, this applies to unmarried witches and wizards aged 17 through 40, currently residing in England. It requires that everybody falling in this category must be married to someone of a different…. err, blood status. So no two muggle-borns can get married, and the same applies to purebloods and half-bloods. George, if you get married before the Ministry assigns a date, I suppose you would be out of this mess, as would any other couples who do the same. Fleeing the country would not be an option; the Ministry is strictly looking into those cases and forbidding any attempts to escape. Disobeying would also have some dreadful consequences, I suppose, though I don't know what exactly they may be. The Wizengamot is still debating on whether to send unlawful citizens to Azkaban or break their wands and wipe their magical world memories. I suggest you identify your potential partners soon. I am unaware as to how the Ministry plans to put the law into effect, but waiting to find out may end up being a bad idea. Now, I really must get going, but Minerva, feel free to Floo me if there is anything I can do." And with that, the dark skinned man strode out of the room.

"Ginny would you-" Harry began.

"Of course!" The redhead replied, flinging herself into the surprised boy's arms.

"Um, actually Ginny, I was about to ask if we could go upstairs and talk about this, but now I suppose there's no need to."

Ginny blushed and grinned sheepishly. Mrs Weasley looked relieved as the last of her children seemed to have beaten the law already. Suddenly sounding panicky, she said, "What about Hermione? Dear, pardon me for asking, but would you possibly have anyone in mind?" Hermione shook her head silently.

" _Promise me, please. Don't give up."_

Professor McGonagall, looking slightly nervous, said, "Kingsley and I are of the opinion that you should…. marry someone from within the Order." Hermione flinched. "In the light of these attacks, it would be the best course of action. Not only are you a muggle-born, but also Harry Potter's best friend, and the Death Eaters, assuming it is their handiwork, would stop at nothing to get their hands on you."

" _I promise, Ron, I love you too."_

Looking at Hermione's slightly nauseous expression, she hurried on, "You needn't decide right now, child. Think about it, but we don't have much time. Would it suit you to meet me here tomorrow?" In response to Hermione's nod, Professor McGonagall said, "Alright then. You kids can leave now." The Weasleys left with Harry and Hermione, leaving a few Order members behind.

Minerva McGonagall sighed deeply as she spoke to each of the remaining members about their plans. After consoling and dismissing a rather agitated Sturgis, she turned to the dark corner where Severus Snape lingered. "We spoke about this, Severus." The man bowed his head. "You know there's nothing we can do. If she does choose him, you'll probably be in a worse situation. Can you come up with any suitable candidates who wouldn't take you to your deathbed by interfering in your work or pestering you to go shopping? Think about it, we're meeting tomorrow anyway. It's in your best interests too, you know." Severus scowled, but said nothing as he walked past the exhausted woman into the dark night. 

**Author's Note: Whom do you think McGonagall meant when she said "if she does choose him"? I did a lot of research to narrow down the potential Order members Hermione could marry. Has McGonagall missed out on someone? Will Hermione choose "him" over Snape? Let me know what you think.**

 **This one was a slightly longer chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Also, I know I said I won't post again until after 25th, but what can I say. Your response continues to overwhelm me, lovely readers. I decided to post this one as well (since I already had it written and edited), but you'll have to be patient for the next one, because I haven't written anything concrete after this. I've written down some thoughts and a rather interesting letter (which you will find way, way ahead in the story teehee), but nothing much of chapter 4, so kindly bear with me.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! My results came out today, and I've done quite well. So I'm in a good mood and hence the longer chapter. :) I hope you enjoy it, I had loads of fun writing the Daily Prophet article. I'm still not revealing who the "other person" is; no one has guessed yet, so I'll give you some more time. xxx**

Chapter Four:

"Good morning, Mrs Weasley."

"Morning, dear. Come over, have your breakfast before these boys finish it all." Mrs Weasley smiled brightly.

Hermione walked over to Harry, smacked him over his head and sat down beside him. He bashfully disentangled himself from Ginny's embrace and glared at his friend. Ginny, though, seemed unaffected. "So, Hermione, did you have any… ahem, dreams, last night?" Hermione looked up quizzically at the girl, who wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

 _She couldn't have read it, could she….? But she wasn't even in the room back then._

Her mind wandered to the letter she had received that morning, soon after she'd woken up.

 _Dear Hemione,_

 _How are you? It's been a while since you wrote. I completely understand, of course; you must have a lot on your mind._

 _Which is why I'm writing to you. I'd like to meet you and have a chat, if that's alright with you. I have some work this afternoon at Broomstix (they YET haven't delivered the broom I ordered a month ago), after which we could meet up at Whimsic Alley for a cup of tea (I'm still sticking to my coffee, though). What time would suit you?_

 _Looking forward to meeting you._

 _Viktor_

She'd grabbed a quill and scribbled a hasty response so the owl would stop pestering her.

 _I'd love you meet you, but I have too many things on my plate right now. Nevertheless, I shall try to make it. Let's meet outside Broomstix at noon, though if I don't show up by quarter past, we'll have to reschedule. I'm so sorry about this._

 _Hermione_

Hermione shook her head. _No, she couldn't have seen it._ As if in response to her internal musings, Ginny handed her a copy of The Quibbler. "Go on, read it. Page 3. Luna seems to have some interesting ideas," she giggled, before turning back to her breakfast.

 _ **Bring Out Your Wedding Robes**_

 _ **-Luna Lovegood**_

 _The Ministry of Magic has made an unprecedented move in the history of wizardkind. Unlike after the First Wizarding War, when the primary concerns were the trials and subsequent imprisonment of the dark witches and wizards, the Ministry has now adopted an altogether different approach to gain back the trust of the population._

 _Most of my readers would have devoured the official Ministry announcement from the Daily Prophet (Merlin save Rita Skeeter from nargles) or their more informative Ministry letters, so I shall proceed to enlighten you with my thoughts on the same. Personally, I think it's quite ridiculous, although I must admit that it cinched my decision to marry a rather lovely lad I know. I suppose some of my Hogwarts friends have managed to see the good in it too, especially a few of my Gryffindor seniors - who displayed their bravery by going down on one knee._

 _Hearty congratulations to all the happy couples from the entire staff of the Quibbler and my deepest condolences to those who don't see eye to eye with the Ministry and it's laws. I would advise such disheartened souls to take a Sleeping Draught and mull over their predicaments overnight. From personal experience, I can tell you that many of my brilliant ideas have popped up while dreaming, and who knows, you might just identify your soul mate while in the confines of a dreamless sleep._

"The official Ministry announcement has been made?" Hermione asked.

Ginny smiled, "Merlin, Hermione! That article had a Skeeter-bashing and a potential wedding invite in it, and all you picked up was the Ministry announcement? Oh well, here they come." She pointed to the window, as a flurry of owls barged in and settled over any empty surface they could find. A screech owl stuck out it's leg imperiously, while a barn owl flew over Hermione's head, hooting between rounds. She untied a rather official-looking letter before turning to the noisy newspaper-bearer, grabbing her copy of the Daily Prophet and dropping a Knut into the leather pouch on its leg.

She broke the Ministry seal, as did the rest of the people around her, eager, yet apprehensive to find out what lay in store for them. Fingers trembling slightly, Hermione smoothed the parchment and took a deep breath.

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _Since you fulfill all the criteria of the Marriage Law, the Ministry of Magic hereby informs you of the rules and regulations you are required to follow._

 _You must have completed and sealed your marriage (refer to Appendix 1) by 15th June, failing which, your name shall be added to the pool of unmarried candidates and the Ministry shall assign pairs at it's own discretion (refer to Appendix 2). In case the aforementioned marriage fails to produce any offspring within three years of the date of the union, the couple shall be required to undergo medical procedures at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries (refer to Appendix 3) and further action will be decided by the Ministry on a case-to-case basis._

 _Kindly visit the Ministry to book your appointment when you decide upon a date in order to ensure that you have a Ministry-approved ceremony official present on the day._

 _Witches or wizards affiliated to the Ministry of Magic may apply for certain exemptions which will be handled by the Department as it sees fit._

 _Hoping you are well._

 _Dempster Wiggleswade_

 _Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

She flipped over to find multiple appendices attached. Appendix 1 told her, among other things, what exactly would be considered as "proper and complete consummation" and she felt too sick to read the rest. "Good Godric, they can't be serious?!" Harry pointed at something and George snickered.

"Do I want to know?" Hermione asked warily.

"Err… not really. Yours probably has it too. Appendix 1?" He quickly added, "Although maybe you should save that for a time when you haven't just had half a meal…. Hey, is that the Prophet?" He groaned. "Not again. Did you see what she'd written yesterday? That vile _cow_ , how dare she-"

"Read it, Hermione." Ginny cut in.

"Here goes nothing," she muttered as she read aloud the large article which occupied most of the front page, the rest of it covered with pictures of Harry, Malfoy and… was that Neville?

 _ **Matrimonial Bliss: Ministry's Gift to War Survivors**_

 _ **-Rita Skeeter**_

 _This morning, the Ministry of Magic released their newly evoked law, the Marriage Law, to mixed responses. According to this law, unmarried witches and wizards between 17 and 40 years of age must marry outside of their blood status by the end of this month. Failure to do so would allow the Ministry to step in and play matchmaker. The new Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt has made good on his pledge to ensure the growth and progress of wizardkind. We at the Daily Prophet feel that this is a brilliant endeavour undertaken by the Ministry, though it seems like many of the younger witches and wizards are rather offended by it, judging by the clamorous throng of people gathered outside the Ministry, demanding answers to their questions._

 _If you fall under this law, we hope you have received your Ministry letters. Do peruse through the same thoroughly; some of the punishments are quite nasty. Speaking of, where is our much-sought-after wizard, Severus Snape, these days? A reporter saw someone who looked suspiciously like the potions master at Hog's Head last night, though we wonder what it was that made him resort to Firewhiskey, instead of his usual bubbling potions. Perhaps he is fretting over his upcoming nuptials._

 _We must say, the churling rumour mills that have erupted as a result of this new law have us quite thrilled. Neville Longbottom, war hero and ex-student of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is said to have asked his Hufflepuff school mate, Hannah Abbott, to marry him. We hope she isn't averse to the idea of staying in Hogwarts for the rest of her life, because Neville Longbottom will be taking up the position of Herbology professor next term._

 _Galleon God and Slytherin Seducer Draco Malfoy was spotted with fellow-Slytherin Pansy Parkinson last week, and we wonder if they will take their rumoured relationship one step further, now that the Marriage Law has come into effect. The heir of one of the wealthiest families among the Sacred Twenty-Eight and Witch Weekly's Most Eligible Bachelor would surely have no trouble finding himself a bride._

 _Our Golden Boy, Harry Potter, is expected to propose to his lady love, Ginevra Weasley, though we can only speculate where that leaves the other third of the Golden Trio - Hermione Granger. Will Harry Potter sacrifice his long time sweetheart for the sake of his deceased best friend's sister or will true love and companionship win out in the long run? Eagerly following this blazing trail of questions, is Rita Skeeter, signing off._

Hermione clenched her fists and stood up, almost knocking her chair back. Harry tried to call after her, but she ignored him, knowing fully well that she'd regret it later, and marched upstairs to grab a clean set of robes. "I'm going out for a while," she announced to no one in particular before striding out of the house.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Hi, lovelies. Once again, thank you for your support. I appreciate it. Although nobody took a guess about the other person, I hope you've thought about it. Or not. Anyway, here's the reveal. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Uploaded two in one day because I'm really happy. Also, I'm out of town and may not be able to upload soon. AAAAND also because I haven't written a concrete chapter 6 yet.**

 **PS: I finally figured out how to put proper horizontal lines, so hopefully my chapters will look slightly neater.**

 **PPS: This chapter's shorter than the last two. Is that okay?**

 **PPPS: THANK YOU to those who send reviews. I love you guys. xxx**

* * *

Chapter Five:

It wasn't a very pleasant day. The sky was overcast and the few rays of sunshine that crept through the clouds could not dispel the feeling of despair. A petite woman sat in the midst of the gloom, waiting for her companion, as she struggled to keep herself calm. Her black robes hung behind her chair, adding to the morose appearance and she rubbed her forehead, trying to soothe her growing headache, oblivious to the stranger lurking in the shadows nearby.

"There you go, Hermione," a strapping young man said as he approached her. "There's your tea. Would you like anything else to go with?"

"No, that's alright. Thank you."

She sipped her tea in silence.

"I heard about the Marriage Law," Viktor began abruptly, obviously throwing all norms of conversation out of the window.

"Yeah," the witch replied, non-committally.

"What are you going to do?" Shaking her head at the unpleasant turn of conversation, she replied, "I don't know. After Ron…. I don't know." She put down her tea cup and sighed.

"Hermione," he interrupted her thoughts, "if there's anything I can do to help…. I'd marry you if it'd make this easier." At her wide-eyed expression, he said, "No, I'm serious, hear me out. You know that I care for you. You've been through a lot and if doing that would make it any better…. Look, basically, all I'm saying is that I'd do it. I really would. And I don't expect you to ever love me the way you loved him, or even come close to that, but I could keep you happy."

" _Promise me, please."_

"Viktor, this is insane. What about Quidditch and… and Bulgaria. What about your life, your friends, your happiness? I couldn't do that to you."

"We'd figure something out; you're not the brightest witch of your age for nothing. My happiness does not rely solely on Quidditch, you know. I'd find new friends, I'd carve out a new niche. Isn't that what life is about - growing and adapting? This is entirely your decision. I made my offer, and it stands till you choose otherwise." He smiled mischievously. "Now, remind me again, why I should consider your British tea when such a thing as Bulgarian coffee exists?"

"Well, for starters, too much caffeine is never advisable," Hermione began, and the odd couple bickered till they had finished their respective beverages and parted ways.

* * *

"Bloody hell, Hermione, where on Earth have you been?" Ginny shrieked as she conjured her Patronus and sent it with a message to Harry. "We've been looking for you, especially after we saw Viktor like that…." She zoned out.

"I'd gone to meet him. He asked me if I was free for a chat, and after what that Skeeter woman wrote, I figured I needed some air anyway. What do you mean 'like that'? Like what? Where did you see him?"

"Mr Krum was attacked by Death Eaters after your little… rendezvous, Miss Granger." Hermione swirled around to find Professor Snape sneering down at her. "I presume you have taken leave of your senses; that is the only satisfactory explanation for why you would blatantly disobey the simple instructions given to you and go about making your own rash decisions."

"I… Professor, is he-"

"Miss Weasley, I expect you to escort Miss Granger to the meeting. Tardiness will not be tolerated." And with a swirl of robes and green flames, he was gone.

"What happened? I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about the attacks. How is Viktor? Is he hurt badly?"

"Here, sit down, Hermione, and breathe," Ginny said. "Krum's at St. Mungo's right now. George saw him as he was leaving the shop. Said he looked pretty bad, like he'd been beaten to a pulp. He took him to St. Mungo's and he's there with him right now. I think some Order members went too. Last I heard, he was conscious and the healers said he'd be up and about within a few days. Are you alright, Hermione?"

"He-he asked me…. He said that he would…. Ginny, this is all my fault, I shouldn't have gone," the elder girl whispered, completely miserable.

"Shh, relax Hermione. We've got to go meet McGonagall now, but we'll talk about this when we get back, okay? You look like you could do with a venting session or two." A woosh of green flames later, Hermione and Ginny stepped into Grimmauld Place. Professor McGonagall sat by the fire, a grave expression on her face. Hermione shivered, scooting closer to the fire. "Professor?"

"Hermione. I suppose Miss Weasley has informed you about Mr Krum's attack." Taking the proffered cup of tea, she continued, "Thank you Molly. As I was saying, he was severely attacked this afternoon by Death Eaters. I believe Mr Krum proposed to you today?"

Ginny gasped as Hermione nodded. "It's because of that, isn't it, Professor? They attacked him to get to me? It's because I went to meet him, isn't it?" Professor McGonagall said nothing, but her silence spoke a thousand words. Ginny placed a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder. In a more subdued tone, she asked, "What do I do, Professor?"

"Marrying Mr Krum will put him in great danger, to say the least. The choice remains yours, of course. He is, by his own admission, willing to take on any perils that come his way."

"I can't do that to him."

"Then you must choose someone from within the Order."

"And that would be…?"

Hermione looked at the older woman. She looked dejected. "Professor? Is- is there no one?" She was handed a piece of parchment. She glanced down. There, written in unmistakable black ink, were the names of her potential husbands.

 _Severus Snape_

 _Dedalus Diggle_


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hi, there. Sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. I was out of town for almost a week, and when I got back, I didn't feel so up to writing this chapter. But a lovely review got me up and about, and here we are. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Chapter Six:

"So, you're sure about sticking to what McGonagall said?"

Hermione nodded.

"So it's either Dedalus Diggle or…. or _Snape_?"

Hermione nodded.

"Have you decided?" Ginny asked, worried by her unresponsive friend. "Hermione, aren't you going to say anything?"

"What am I supposed to say, Ginny? I haven't decided." She said weakly.

"You can't marry Snape, Hermione!" Harry said heatedly.

"And why ever not, Harry James Potter?" Ginny raised her voice. "This isn't back in second year when you could hate on Snape. This isn't some petty childhood rivalry, this is your best friend's future. And if Snape can do a better job at protecting her, I don't see why she shouldn't choose him…."

Hermione zoned out sometime during Ginny's monologue. She honestly had no idea what to say or do. What was the point anyway? She couldn't possibly agree to Victor's offer, that was his life on the line. Somewhere along the way, she'd realised what Harry went through when people lost their lives in order to save him, and she didn't want anyone else to suffer for her anymore. She barely knew the two men she had to choose between. Well, she knew Professor Snape, but not Severus Snape, if there was anything that distinguished them, that is. Maybe it would be best to let the others decide. She'd promised Ron that she'd never give up, but she wasn't giving up as such, was she? She had agreed to marry someone rather than die or give up her magic. Death. Was it such a bad thing after all? Was it better to live with someone you dislike or don't know or was it better to not live at all?

Shaking her head, as if to clear her thoughts, she tuned in on the conversation around her.

"...I know Minerva suggested that Snape would be the better choice, but-"

"She did?" Hermione interjected, surprised that she hadn't realised when Mrs Weasley had joined the discussion.

The lady sighed sadly. "Yes, Hermione, she did. I agree with her, in theory of course Severus would keep you safer than what Dedalus could, but he's not an agreeable man, to put it very lightly."

"Emphasis on the 'very'," Harry huffed. Ginny glared at him, so he hurried on, "But yeah, I s'pose that's the best thing to do. Hermione?"

"Yes. That's fine, I guess. Anyway, I'm a bit tired, I'm off to bed." She trudged up to the room she shared with Ginny.

And just like that, her future was decided. She didn't pause to wonder how it would affect her life, she didn't speculate what she'd eventually have to do. Not a tear was shed, to her own surprise. Maybe she'd spent them all when she'd cried for Ron. Or maybe she didn't even have it in her to feel sorrow anymore. She felt numb. She knew deep within that she needed to talk to someone, let it all out, get it out of her system, but she pushed aside those thoughts.

* * *

Minerva McGonagall rose from her recliner to let the owl inside. She quickly read the short note, threw some Floo powder into the fire before stepping into the flames and muttered, "Spinner's End".

"Severus?" She approached the tall figure who was watching the descending rain. He turned his head minutely to acknowledge her presence. "She's made up her mind."

He didn't have to ask. "She's my student, Minerva. I cannot agree to this, it's preposterous."

"Was. She was your student, Severus. She's not a student anymore. Let's not have that entire discussion all over again. You know I'd never let this happen if I could help it. She may not be a child anymore, but I still feel the need to look out for her. I cannot demand that you agree, but I ask you to reconsider. She'd keep out of your way and won't bother you much. This might be your best bet too."

The man bowed his head in acquiescence.

* * *

The days tripped by on rosy wings. Hermione barely registered Luna's invitation to her upcoming marriage; a few months ago, she'd have jumped with delight when presented with the opportunity to meet the renowned Newt Scamander at his grandson's wedding, but now she hardly batted an eyelid. She remained oblivious through the dress robes trying and purchasing sessions, consented to wearing even the most unflattering colours and almost bought a lime green wedding dress for herself.

"Hermione, are you _kidding_ me? Lime green, honestly? Put that down this instant!" Ginny snatched the horrendous looking apparel from her friend's hand. "Seriously, what's the matter? Talk to me. Or Harry. Or anyone. Just say something. Mum's worried sick, you know."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "I'm just… trying to take it all in, that's all. I'm fine." She lied easily. It had never come to her so effortlessly before. _Maybe it's true, then,_ she wondered. _Maybe that's just it. I need to take it in and I'll be fine._

But even Hermione Granger, brilliance personified, couldn't lie to herself. She knew what it was and she knew what to do about it. But she didn't. _If I break down, it'd be an insult to the others. To George, to Harry, to the Weasleys. To them all. They lost so much more than I did, A son, a friend, a confidante._ So she put on her brave face, though she felt like her soul was in tatters. She wondered how the cracks didn't show through, how people didn't notice right away, but she was glad they didn't.

Luna's wedding was a colourful blur. As was Neville's. And all the other happy, cheery ones, which she didn't even bother to attend till the end. She hoped everybody would just forget about hers, but that was merely wishful thinking. She received an owl from Professor McGonagall, who wanted to know if there was any particular date Hermione had in mind, which she didn't. She somehow found herself in the Ministry of Magic the next day, Ginny dragging her by the arm, to book her "appointment". She snorted in disgust while the old man peered at her through his dirty spectacles after having asked her if next week would "be alright".

"Is there a later date available, perhaps?" Professor McGonagall asked the official, who shook his head and said that the week leading up to 15th June had been booked. Over-booked, more like, judging by the long list of names that had been jotted down below those dates in the register.

"5th June is the latest you can get, ma'am."

5th June. That was barely a week away. Seven days, and she'd be married. Hermione Snape.

"Can I keep my surname?" She blurted out, much to the surprise of the two women who had accompanied her. "Come again?" Ginny asked, her eyebrows raised. "My surname. After… You know. Can I retain my surname?" She looked up at Professor McGonagall hopefully.

"Uh, Miss Granger, I suppose you could if-"

"The groom must agree. If he doesn't, then by law, you shall have to have his name." The old man spoke up, visibly annoyed. "Now if you're done here, ladies, I would request you to clear the counter. There's a queue."

* * *

She walked down the aisle and smiled lightly at the man standing at the end. Yes, he did look like a man, now. She could see the slight nervousness in his eyes as his fingers smoothened his dark robes. He nodded at her as she blinked back her tears.

Her best friends were getting married. He'd never be the boy she had been cooped up with for months in a tent, sharing each other's pain. She'd never be Ron's sister, or her dorm mate. He'd be a man, a husband, and someday a father. She'd be his wife, his companion. Ginny Potter. She'd be his best friend, the one he turned to first. It was a bittersweet moment for Hermione. It was something the two of them had looked forward to. To see their happy faces glowing in the morning sun filled her with joy and she almost felt whole again. Almost, but not quite. But she was happy for the first time in weeks and she savoured the moments like a dying man holding onto his last breaths.

And then they were holding hands and saying the vows and it was over before she knew it. She'd be next.

It was all too soon.

* * *

She walked down the aisle with a thumping heart. Her dress felt like it was choking her to death. Her eyes widened as she saw a redhead standing at the end. What was happening? Maybe it was George, handling some last minute stuff. Probably a silly prank. Yes, that's what the figure seemed to be doing. She couldn't tell who it was, the sun was falling in her eyes and he had his back to her. She continued walking, not noticing the empty chairs and silent lawn. She stepped up before the man, just as he turned to face her.

"Ron."

* * *

 **Author's Note: I don't know if two ANs are the norm or not, but oh well. I put in the question about keeping the surname because it's something that I think about otherwise too. My mother had to change her first name after she got married and it's always difficult because your school friends remember you by another name and the people you meet after getting married know your new name, so it's a bit odd, I suppose. Of course, name and surname are not the same, but still.**

 **What do you think about the end of this chapter? Leave your thoughts. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

"Ron."

Hermione gasped and shot up in her bed, the bedsheets crumpling in her fists, as she looked around the room and returned to reality. She sighed and got out of bed, trudged down the stairs of the Burrow and stepped out into the dawn. It was fairly cold and still quite dark, so she shrugged into her cloak before settling down into the dewy grass.

She'd almost seen how her life could have been. A life with Ron, probably a life full of happiness and love and laughter. Maybe kids? Little redheaded toddlers with freckles splattered across their tiny foreheads, playing mirthfully with their uncles and aunts. A full family. Would she get any of that now? The Weasleys were incredibly nice, but they'd soon have their own lives to worry about. Their own children, perhaps. Their own families. Where would she figure in all of that?

"Hermione, I know you don't want to do this, but get in here, will you? I'm not letting you out there without trying my hand at your hair!" She heard Ginny shriek and hurried inside, putting her thoughts to rest. "I'm coming, hold on. Don't do anything drastic though, alright?"

"You know me. Oh don't fret, Hermione, you're going to rival that blonde beauty after I'm done with you." She snorted.

"Hermione, where are- Oh, there you are," Harry peered in from the doorway. "Look, are you sure about this? I could ask McGonagall to talk to Snape, you know. This is really stupid, I don't see why you need to go along with him to-"

"Harry."

"-the Manor, I mean, what is he thinking. I bet there's-"

"Harry!"

"What?"

"I'll be fine." Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry's raised eyebrows. "Seriously. It's alright. I'll have to do this sometime anyway, right?"

"I still think I should come along," he muttered.

"Yes I'm sure you'll make merry company," she joked. "Honestly, will you calm down? It's just for a while, you know. I'll be back before you can list down all the ingredients of the Polyjuice Potion."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"I'm being serious."

"Oh alright, then. Just floo me when you get back, will you? If I'm not at the Headquarters, leave me a message or something. And take care of yourself. We want you back in one piece." He winked and left the room.

* * *

"Malfoy."

"Granger," he nodded curtly.

"That's... a nice painting," she said, pointing to a portrait of a young girl watching the sunset, her black hair waving with the wind.

"That is Bellatrix. Probably when she was 12."

"Oh."

Merlin, was it awkward. Why, again, had she agreed to do this? Oh right, because her _fiancé..._ She shuddered. He'd said they were practically family. She mentally scoffed. Malfoy would choke her to death if he could get away with it. Okay, maybe not. But he'd never see her as family, that was a given. She wondered why Mrs Malfoy... _Narcissa_ , she corrected mentally, had wanted to meet her. Sure, she seemed to be almost pleasant during lunch, but her husband… Well, he was another story altogether. What had he said? "Do accept my sincere condolences, you must have been quite shaken by Mr Weasley's demise." Did he have a stick up his arse or what? How dare he? _Demise._ Like he'd passed away peacefully. Like no one had stabbed a knife into his gut and twisted it till she felt she'd die watching. Like he'd not screamed at her in the middle of the battle, that blood-curdling scream that had frozen her in place. Like-

"Granger?"

She'd been clutching at her wand and had gone rather pale. Great, now how was she to explain that?

"Uh, yes? What is it?"

"That's what I asked you. Twice, in fact. Are you alright?"

Of course she wasn't alright. He didn't need to go about and rub it in her face, that cocky… Wait, was he genuinely asking her?

Gingerly, she replied, "Yes, never been better. Why?"

Looking at anything but her, he said, "No, you just looked..." Looked what? Did she look like she was going to be sick? She'd never soil his beautiful, expensive carpet, if that was what he was worried about.

"...like you weren't alright."

Oh. How was she supposed to respond to that? Yes, Malfoy, I'm not alright. I got tortured somewhere around the very spot I'm standing on right now and to make things worse, your father quite pointedly reminded me of the fact that I'm here, alive, and Ron isn't. No, that very well wouldn't do, would it? In any case, she had to say something.

Blurting out the first thing that came to her mind, she said, "So, are you going to marry Parkinson?"

"What?" He growled.

Oops. Clearly that was delicate ground. "Well, not that I believe anything that that woman spews, but Rita Skeeter was quite vocal about how you'd most probably end up marrying her." At his deepening frown, she added, "You don't have to answer that."

"Obviously I don't, Granger. That's none of your business. Would you tell me how you feel about marrying my godfather, who just so happens to be decades older than you?" She was stunned. "I thought so. In that case, keep your nose out of my business and we both can keep our thoughts to ourselves."

Wiser words he'd never spoken, she had to give him that. A few years ago he'd have thrown her an expletive or two, but he'd apparently grown up. He still had a stick up there like his pompous father, but it didn't seem to be as deep in... Urgh, Hermione, what's got into you? Shaking her head, and acknowledging the fact that she'd kick herself over it later, she timidly said, "I feel terrible."

He raised one blonde eyebrow and she continued, "I feel terrible about marrying your godfather, who not only happens to be decades older than me, but also was my Professor at one point of time. It's safe to say he was to me what Professor McGonagall was to you. And the fact that I have no say in this is the worst part. If Ron were alive, I would've-" She ceased abruptly and berated herself mentally.

"Married him?" he asked. She remained silent, afraid that she'd said too much already. "You don't have to answer that."

Honestly, why had she even said that much? It was ridiculous, this whole thing. Maybe she'd had more wine than she'd thought. Yes, that was it. That explained her... Free... Behaviour. Who'd have thought. Oh well, she'd gotten into this now. She'd have to get out of it too.

"You won't understand, Malfoy."

"Try me, Granger."

Argh, that stubborn little brat. Oh well, he asked for it. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye before she replied.

"I- I loved him. I guess I still do. Not in the romantic storybook way, but as a friend. No, more than a friend. As a companion. A partner. Someone I'd share my life with. Make memories with. It's... complicated."

"And I would not understand that because..."

"Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd rather be selfish and let them mourn your death than watch them die? Have you ever wished you could have that one person outlive you so that you'd never feel the pain of living in their absence? You'll marry too, Malfoy, but do you love her? Do you think you ever can? Is it even possible for you to-"

"I'm not incapable, Granger, if that's what you're implying." He snarled and she took a step away from him. "No, I don't love Pansy the way you Gryffindors do, all flowers and chocolates. That's a rather big turn off for me. What do you know about me or about love? How can you say that giving up your life for someone else is love? And where did all that love leave you anyway? You're marrying someone you don't even want to marry. Atleast I don't feel terrible about marrying Pansy. I'd say my situation is better, wands down."

Indeed, where had her love left her? Half dead? A shadow of her old self? She filed that question away for pondering over later, as she followed his gaze to a moving photograph of himself and... was that... one of the Greengrass sisters?

"I'm not comparing us, you know. I'm just calling a wand a wand. You needn't get so defensive, this isn't Quidditch or the House Cup anymore, Malfoy, this is life. You can't think you're better off by comparing one aspect of it and ignoring the rest. I'm not even saying that I know you, or that you should or shouldn't marry Pansy. I'm just saying that if you're doing it because you're expected to do so, then don't. _You're_ going to spend the rest of your life with her, not your parents or Skeeter or anyone else. Keep that in mind. Especially if there's someone else you'd rather be with." She nodded at the photograph, only to receive a frown in return.

"Oh I will, Granger. And before I forget, you're cordially invited to my wedding next week. Let's see who's laughing then. Shall we?" He asked as he offered his arm and led her out, where Snape was just getting ready to leave.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you for sending in reviews, they really make my day and charge me up to write more. :)**

 **I hope you liked this chapter. The Malfoy-Hermione scene is personally one of my favourites. It's the first time they're meeting under these circumstances, and it lays the setting for their future interactions (there will be quite a few, because I find him very intriguing, so much so, that I wish I'd made this a DMHG fanfic sometimes). They're going to share this give-some-take-some sort of relationship for a while (which I will explain in upcoming chapters) because they're still wary of each other, so it's the only way they'll divulge something about themselves. If you get what I mean. Even if you don't, not to worry. I'll throw some light over it ahead, so keep reading and keep reviewing.**

 **Also, who do you think/wish Draco ends up with? I know I said I'd stick to the story as much as possible, but I also said I'd stay in character. So if I stick to the story, it'll have to be Astoria, but Draco has been raised to obey his parents, so going against their choice would be OOC. Hah, that's a bummer, isn't it? Leave your thoughts. xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

"Miss Granger, is it true that you will be marrying Severus Snape the following week?"

"Witch Weekly would love to know how you conned the connoisseur of potions into marrying you."

"What is the venue? Will you be wearing some age-old Snape heirloom?"

"Were you invited tonight simply because you'll soon be related to the Malfoys or is there a deeper friendship hidden beneath the surface?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and huffed in frustration. She walked briskly, trying to recollect techniques used by the muggle royalty to escape the paparazzi. She navigated through the elite crowd and attempted to lose the persistent press members. She hurried behind a posh-looking fountain and ran into none other than Draco Malfoy, his blonde hair shining in the moonlight.

"Granger?"

"Yeah. Uh, sorry, am I interrupting?"

He gestured around himself and said, "Well, obviously. Can't the groom get a moment of peace?" He smirked. Just as she was about the leave, he called out. "I've left a portkey for you with Severus. I'm sure you'll wish you were anywhere but here as the night progresses."

"Oh. Tha-"

"So tell me, now that you've so kindly interrupted my last few minutes of bachelorhood, why exactly are you marrying him? Surely there are enough Weasleys to last you half a dozen marriages?" He scoffed.

She would have retorted bitingly a few years ago, but she merely sighed. "It's complicated."

She shuffled her feet awkwardly, at a loss for words. "Your parents must be thrilled about today."

"My mother is."

"Why? I mean, what about your father?"

"It's complicated."

She closed her eyes. She should have probably left the snarky Slytherin to himself, but something kept her there. It was just like the last time she'd met him. She'd let a bit out and then he had too, right? Maybe it would work again. Maybe that's how one conversed with Draco Malfoy. Oh well, she didn't have much to lose. Did she?

"Because muggle borns are being targeted everywhere and the… Well, he's the best person."

"The order told you to do so."

"Yes, how-"

"The war is over, Granger. It's not a big secret anymore. Do you really think Severus would attend my wedding if I was nothing but another Death Eater to him? Food for thought, huh? And while you're at it, there's your question: What about my father? Well, he's rather upset that I'm not marrying into the family of his choice. So don't ponder over his absence too much."

He strode towards the chatter and lights, paused and tilted his head. "Oh and I hear the cake is to die for. You should take a piece for poor Potter, he must be quite depressed that he didn't receive an invite." Smirking away to glory, he left Hermione to herself.

* * *

 ** _Draco Malfoy: Off the market and how!_**

 _ **-Rita Skeeter**_

 _Astoria Malfoy (_ _née Greengrass), ex-student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seems to have taken Wizarding Britain by surprise. In a whirl of white veils and red roses, the Slytherin beauty married the charming Draco Malfoy last night and fulfilled the basic requirement of the Marriage Law._

 _Word has it that Lucius Malfoy is not too pleased with said marriage. As we had reported, Draco Malfoy was all set to marry Pansy Parkinson, but due to, and we quote, "unforeseen circumstances", the wedding was cancelled. It doesn't seem quite unforeseen to us at The Daily Prophet, though. We recently spotted Miss Parkinson getting cozy with a Spanish National Quidditch Team member at Three Broomsticks. There's definitely more than meets the eye._

 _Hearty congratulations to the Malfoys from our team._

 _Turn to page 4 for insider reveals on the Potter wedding and to page 5 to know who was hot and who was not._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello. This is a slightly shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. I've always wanted Draco to be happy after everything he's been through, so giving him the marriage he wanted seemed to be a great way, even though he doesn't really know it himself. I don't know if he loves Astoria or not. Maybe he does, and it's just a very different sort of love that we don't relate to. Or maybe he doesn't, because it's too deep an emotion or too pure an emotion for him to grasp so soon after the evils of the war. I don't know and nor do I intend to thrust an answer on you. It's going to be an open-ended sort of thing for him, I let you decide exactly where this leaves him, primarily because this is not a DM fanfiction anyway. I'll have him around, no doubt, but I don't plan to shed light on this matter. As of now, atleast.**

 **Do you see the take-some-give-some part of their relationship, though? I'll explain it properly if you still want me to, but I tried to make it a bit more obvious in this chapter. Don't worry if you didn't get it, I'm always there to write about it. :)**

 **Please review. xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

 _Professor Snape,_

 _I hope this letter finds you in good health. There is something I would like to ask of you. Do you think it would be possible for me to continue-_

The yellow parchment was crumpled and it soon joined its fellow-decapitated-letters on the concrete floor. Pulling her hair in frustration, Hermione paced around the room, trying to come up with something informal, yet slightly formal; something friendly, but polite; something serious, but not boring - seemingly paradoxical tones, to jot down in the letter to her soon-to-be husband. It seemed absurd, writing to him like that. She'd never really penned down anything for him apart from the numerous essays and homework assignments she'd submitted in the past, so she was at a loss when it came to things like how she should address him and whether she should inquire about his well-being.

When she approached Ginny and presented her with her dilemma, her advice had been to "meet him and get it over with". That was, of course, easier said than done. It further raised the question of whether it would be appropriate to simply show up at his doorstep or if she would have to inform him beforehand. In which case, she would have to write him a letter yet again, which brought her back to square one. Harry had offered to escort her to his house in case she chose the former option, but surely the man would acquire a sour mood if he met Harry, who had been the bane of his existence for over half a dozen years.

Luckily for Hermione, unanswered thoughts almost always drifted her towards books and it was between the towering shelves of Tomes and Scrolls that she found a reasonably agreeable solution to her problem. She ran into the man himself.

"Professor Snape?"

The tall man turned to face her and nodded his head in acknowledgement of her uncertain greeting.

"Are you busy-? I mean, I would like to ask you something. Is this a good time?"

"I have been busier. The location, however, is far from. We can converse in Grimmauld Place. I shall be there in 15 minutes."

Grimmauld Place was even more awkward, if that was possible. It was eerily silent and desolate inside. Their footfalls echoed around the house and when they had reached the dark dining room, Hermione stood, nervously staring at the carpet before clearing her throat.

"Professor, can I keep my surname? I mean, uh… It would be convenient if I didn't have to change my name after… this. All the records and… Would you mind-"

"Keep it. It is of no consequence to me."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Is that all?"

She looked away, sheepishly. "Yes, that's all. I should probably have sent you a letter, I suppose." Noticing his frown, she continued, "Thank you for the portkey the other night."

"It was not there by my design. I take it that it proved to be a handy escape, then?"

"Yes, professor. Malfoy told me about it."

"Severus. And he will be Draco to you soon."

With that, he left Hermione in the empty house, wondering how she would ever get around to calling her professor by name.

* * *

The sea breeze swirled her robes around, the salty droplets of water crashed against the morbid rocks, spraying her dainty figure, drenching her from head to toe till she shivered. She seemed to shiver more out of fear and anxiety than cold. She had reached a conclusion. Sort of. Not exactly, really. She'd decided to take the cowardly path. Run from her destiny. Was it her destiny? Did she really deserve a pitiful existence with Professor- _Severus_ \- oh who cares anymore! - with him after all she'd done? There were others who'd sacrificed their own lives, so she wasn't quite up there. No, she didn't delude herself when it came to what she had achieved. She'd fought in the war, she'd survived. She hadn't deserved to, but she had. But she hadn't died to save another. She hadn't died to save Ron. He had deserved to live. So this had to be it.

 _I promise._

What was that then? She closed her eyes, trying to forget how the last few seconds of life in Ron's eyes had pierced her soul. She had given her word. Would she break it just because her future seemed uncertain and menacing? She owed him much more than a half-hearted attempt at happiness, didn't she? Could she _actually_ do it? Betray the trust he sought in his final breaths? She could live for him, couldn't she?

No, of course not! The man was her professor, for Merlin's sake. Or had been. He was what, double her age? Yeah yeah, it didn't matter so much because they'd probably live for another century, but still. He barely understood her, and she didn't understand him at all. And marriage wasn't even the worst part. She would have accepted it, albeit grudgingly, if she merely had to be his wife. But no. They would… do it. And have offspring. Babies.

Her leg slipped over the moist rock she stood on, and she almost fell over. Heart pounding, she steadied herself. She hadn't even said her goodbyes. What would Harry-

She would have to _sleep_ with him. With _him._ Not Ron. No, it would never be Ron. Because he'd died, hadn't he? She saw the hooded Death Eater stab him like it had been yesterday. She saw it all so clearly, the twisting of the silver knife, the screams of agony, the look of ultimate horror on his face. His eyes locked with hers before she was pulled back into the throes of battle. That gaze, it had been so penetrating. It seemed like he had tried to tell her so many things in that split second, yet she hadn't pinned down even one of them. The blood had pooled below his mangled body. It was red, quite like his hair, but deeper. It should have been her.

"Don't do it."

Jolted out of her thoughts, she gasped as she saw him. Standing there, in all his glory, was Draco, his dark eyes almost as intense as Ron's had been. Ron. He had died. She had to too. It always came back to that.

"I need to be with him."

"I know. But please, get down here, it's dangerous where you're standing."

"No, I must do this. You don't understand."

"Try me. Alright, I'll cut you a deal. You get down here and hear me out. Then you're free to go. Do what you want. Just listen to me, okay?"

She slowly but surely made her way to where he had been standing. The rocks were less slippery there and farther from the edge of the precipice.

"Do you know what survivor's guilt is, Hermione?"

For once, she didn't have an answer. Oh, she knew what it was, alright. But she couldn't give him a detailed description, it sounded all too familiar. Her throat constricted of its own accord.

"Regretting the fact that you're alive. That you're alive instead of someone else. That you've done something wrong by living through tough times. Look at me, Hermione."

Brown eyes met grey ones.

"It's not your fault, you hear me? I may not know what happened that night or how he died, but that was war. People die, others survive. Don't live because you owe it to him, your parents, or your friends. You owe it to yourself. It was a traumatic experience and it left us all with deep scars. But we can heal them. The blemishes will stay on, but the wounds can be cleaned up. Seek help, Hermione. You want to be with him? You will. Some day. When you're old and have a dozen grandchildren, warm in your bed. But not today. We all have our nightmares that keep us up at night, but we have to live with them."

She shivered, but he did not miss the slight nod she gave him.

"Here, use this cloak. And go straight home, alright?"

She took a violet cloak from his outstretched hand and shrugged into it. It felt warm and comforting. "Oh and Granger? Don't for a second think that I married Astoria because of your little pep talk. I just love her so very much, you see. It's all very Gryffindor-esque." He pretended to swoon, caught her eye and winked.

Hermione was too drained to realise that she hadn't even asked him for his information, that he'd given it freely. Maybe Draco had merely been keeping with their implicit understanding of giving information in return for the same. Maybe he'd grown used to their little barter system of sorts. But even he couldn't deny that he had, for the first time, volunteered this supposed "information" without having been asked to do so.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello, readers. Thank you Amar 2, I'm so thrilled that you liked the Draco-Hermione scene. To everyone who reads, reviews, favourites, follows or even mistakenly stumbles upon my story, a huge thank you.**

 **This chapter explores one of the themes of my story, so I hope it surpasses expectations. I had a rather upsetting revelation today, when I realised that I will not be clearing one of the major entrance exams I wrote. It really brought me down, because I'd been prepping for it for 2 years straight, but I channeled that sorrow into this chapter. Hopefully it shows.**

 **Huge shoutouts to JKR, who owns this world and all its characters. What would I do without you, wonderful woman?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! My sincere apologies for the delay, I've been incredibly busy with college admissions and things like that. I got into a university and got a room adjacent to my friend, so that's something I'm happy about. Still, fingers crossed that some of the better universities (who yet haven't announced their admission results) take me in.**

 **A slight warning, this chapter contains a slightly intimate scene. It's not too graphic as such, but still, in case any of you are averse to reading such things, you may want to keep that in mind.**

 **Leave your thoughts. xxx**

* * *

Chapter Ten:

The marriage was a solemn affair. It wasn't at all elaborate, probably thanks to both the bride and groom being rather keen on keeping it low-key. Hermione's apprehensions about having to kiss Severus were all for naught; the official kept it quite hassle-free, much to the relief of everyone present. Most of the Weasleys and Harry each had a word or two with their ex-Professor, though it was obvious that his retirement had not diminished their fear of him in the slightest. It had probably taken every ounce of their Gryffindor spirits to muster up the courage, look the man in the eye and ask him to look after the woman who he would now call his wife.

Hermione, although she maintained a blank look on her face, was revolting from within. Her legs screamed at her to run; run away from it all. Her hands twitched to tear her wedding gown (if her grey dress robes could be called that) into shreds. But she kept herself together and reminded herself repeatedly of the promise she'd made. To live on and never give up.

While she mentally wished that all her friends would stop smothering her and clear away, she sorely missed them when she stood alone on the doorstep of her new home. He hadn't reprimanded her for just standing there for a few minutes, so that seemed to be a good sign. Hesitantly, she stepped inside and looked around, her mouth agape with incredulity. It wasn't like she hadn't expected his house to be home to hundreds of books, so it was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was that had taken her by surprise.

The living room was quite tidy and ordinary to the tee. There was a fireplace, a sofa and a dining area, leading into the kitchen. A kitchen? So did he cook, then? She thought she saw a tiny loincloth lying in the corner (a house elf?), but she pointedly ignored it. It would not do to argue on the first day itself, now would it? His bedroom, on the other hand, seemed to speak out to her. There were parts that were still formal-looking, like the bookshelf by the draped window, possibly out of habit. Perhaps it had been another survival tactic of sorts, keeping the house impersonal; anything that would give him away kept out of sight. But the desk was an entirely different space of its own. There were two picture frames, one of which had been kept face down on the desk. The other had a younger looking Severus standing between the newly-wed Malfoys, Narcissa and Lucius looking regal as ever, waving like royalty. She wondered if it would be rude to pick up the other frame and peek, but decided against it.

There was also a red and gold feathered quill that lay on the table which looked like it held more sentimental value judging by its unused state. Glancing around the room, Hermione got the impression that Severus had somewhat thawed after the war. She got fleeting glimpses of who he was, here and there. She wondered if he had made it appear less formal and more homely simply because he knew he would be sharing his house with her, but that seemed unlikely. Then again, Professor McGonagall could have got him to do it. She'd probably never know.

"Your room is right across."

Hermione jumped, startled by his sudden presence. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Her room did not disappoint. It had a four-poster bed with purple drapes (he'd wisely kept away from house colours, she noticed), a desk just like the one in his room, a bookcase, with a few empty shelves and a wardrobe.

He spoke from behind her, "It doesn't have an attached bathroom, I hope that is alright."

"Yes, yes, that's perfectly fine. This is, uh… this is great. Thank you."

"I'll be in my room, in case you need anything. Dinner will be at 7."

And with that, she found herself alone in her new room. Ginny had sent her trunk and it lay at the foot of the bed, unopened. She sat next to it and ran her hand over the white bed cover. She shivered as a gust of wind blew into her room. A sudden feeling of fear enveloped her as she recalled her earlier conversation with Ginny.

" _So, I take it that you haven't ever… you know…?"_

" _No, I don't. What are you getting at?"_

" _Have you ever... done it? You know, like-"_

" _Ginny! For Merlin's sake, what is wrong with you?" She had spluttered and turned a deep shade of red._

" _I take that as a no, then."_

" _Yes. I mean, no! Wait, why are we doing this?"_

" _It's either me or mum, you know. And I'd highly recommend me. Mum was a nightmare. Before I got married, she had this whole talk about what to do when it is "time" and that Harry-"_

" _Okay, okay, stop. I get it."_

" _So? Have you?"_

" _No. Does it… hurt? What am I supposed to do? Is it like-"_

" _There, there. Calm down. It'll be alright. It does sort of hurt, I mean... Okay. I'm going to be very technical here, but bear with me. If your hymen is intact, it will most likely hurt. If it isn't, then well, good for you. It won't so much. But then again, it depends on his girth and your capacity and-"_

" _Ginny!"_

" _What? I'm just telling you like it is. You can hope that he's slow or gentle. And apply this later, it helps. Worked wonders with me. According to the bloody law you're supposed to do it within a day of getting married and atleast twice a week after that, so there's no postponing the first time."_

" _Aren't we supposed to be in a certain sort of mindset before the act? I mean…"_

" _Yeah. I know what you mean."_

" _But how…?"_

" _I'm sorry, Hermione. I really can't help you out on that. I wish I could, but you're going to have to figure it out with him. I'm truly sorry."_

She dug into her bag and retrieved a vial of colourless liquid that Ginny had given her as a "wedding present". She kept back in her bag, in a more easily accessible pouch. That was half of the problem solved. The easier half, she supposed. How were they going to do it? Without having an ounce of affection for the other? What _was_ the Ministry thinking? Stupid, brainless pricks. She was just going to have to think of him as Ron. If she could ever manage that.

* * *

Dinner was mainly some clanking of china and the sounds of chewing and drinking. She followed him into his bedroom after they had finished eating and silently sat on the bed.

"Drink this." He handed her a goblet filled with a blue potion. At her questioning gaze, he said, "It'll be easier and faster this way."

She soon understood what he meant. Barely had a few moments passed after she had drained the goblet (she saw that he had emptied one too), when she felt a tingling sensation between her legs. He appeared to be undoing his trousers, so she began to undo her robes. He stopped her trembling fingers and instead motioned for her to pull them up to her thighs. She lay back on the bed, the sheets wrinkling in her fist and stared at the ceiling. She felt the mattress sink as he placed his knees on either side of her.

Their bodies did not touch anywhere else. He eased into her and paused when she sucked in her breath. She shut her eyes and forced herself to count backwards from hundred. The thinking-of-Ron plan had backfired, she could only see his blank, lifeless eyes and at that particular moment, it would not have been advisable to give into sorrow.

Afterwards, when he had left his room presumably to give her some privacy after their supposedly intimate act, she straightened her clothes and returned to her room, only to find a vial identical to the one Ginny had given her, with a note that said, "Apply this. It will help relieve the pain."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hello reader! My sincere apologies for the delay in updating. I've been super busy with admissions and with everyone's support and blessings, I've got multiple good university offers. So now I'm sorting out applications and figuring out which course and college combination will be the best for me. I should hopefully be off to college in a few weeks. :)**

 **You may want to note that I have added an extra sentence to the official Ministry letter in chapter four to clear things up a bit. As I mentioned to Katherine (who by the way, has given me so many reviews and is a sweetheart), it was actually planned to be part of one of the "Appendices" I mentioned, but since I'm not putting up the contents of the Appendices, I decided to add it to the letter itself. That (and this chapter) explains Draco's and Luna's respective marriages. Sorry about this, I know it's not a good writer who edits stuff that's already uploaded. I promise to do better.**

 **About Ginny, yes, she is not 17 yet. I will be throwing light on that ahead. Hermione is still really dazed by everything (the war, Ron's death, the law, etc.) and since she is sort of the protagonist here, till she doesn't realise something, neither do you. But not to fear, she's meeting Ginny soon. We shall find out!**

 **In response to Kermit 304, Draco found Hermione entirely by chance. I plan on explaining that somewhere ahead, but in case I don't, he just happened to be at the right place in the right time. Do you think I should include that in a future chapter? Let me know.**

 **Again, a million times sorry to all of you. Please keep reviewing. Your thoughts motivate me to write. xxx**

* * *

Chapter Eleven:

Hermione awoke the next morning with none of the "soreness" that she had often heard of in the Hogwarts dormitories. A quick scan of the house revealed that she seemed to be alone, so she retreated into the bathroom and immersed herself into a long bath, trying to scrub off the memories of the previous night.

She entered the living room after her morning ablutions and wondered whether she should cook something to eat and if so, whether she should cook for one or two. She was startled out of her dilemma by a _tap tap tap_ coming from the kitchen window. She recognised Pigwidgeon among the parliament of owls and undoubtedly, it was a short scrawl from Ginny asking her if her potion had helped. The rest of the letters were for Severus, so she neatly arranged them in a pile and was about to keep them in an easily locatable place, when a Ministry sealed envelope caught her eye. "Mr and Mrs Snape" was written in a neat font across the envelope.

Mrs Snape? Hadn't they submitted the document for retaining her maiden surname? Frustrated and slightly curious, she opened the envelope and unfurled the folded parchment that lay within.

 _Mr and Mrs Snape,_

 _We are sorry to inform you that your request for a reconsideration of your intercourse frequency has been rejected. Mr Snape, you are no longer recognised as a Ministry official since your tenure at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has ended. Mrs Snape too, as of now, is not affiliated to the Ministry in any way._

 _You may feel free to visit our marital counsellor for further queries._

 _Hoping you are well._

 _Dempster Wiggleswade_

 _Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

Request for a reconsideration of intercourse frequency….?

"Hermione?"

She turned. Severus stood at the doorway, arms crossed, looking every bit the angry Potions master as he had once been. She gulped. She wasn't alone after all, then.

"Oh. Uhm, good morning. I uh… saw this and it sort of had my name on it so…."

"Would you mind?"

She handed over the letter and saw his frown deepen as he read its contents. His lips formed a thin line and she saw his fist clench at his side. Hesitantly, she inquired, "So, what exactly does that mean?"

"Well, I would presume that this letter is self-explanatory. My appeal has been rejected. The rules specified by the Ministry remain unchanged."

"Your appeal? Why did you appeal? I mean, why would they accept it anyway?"

"Because the Ministry letter clearly stated that Ministry officials may apply for certain exemptions. Although I am no longer a professor at Hogwarts, I did hold the position for several years and hoped that that would earn me, and by extension you, some leeway. Evidently, the Ministry is only entertaining those appeals that would benefit them in some way, perhaps some political sway or the other."

"Oh. I wasn't aware of that."

"How do you think my godson married a pureblood? Pulled some strings, no doubt. Lucius may have been a Death Eater in the past, however he still remains a very influential man both inside and outside the Ministry."

"So then…. Luna and-"

"Displeasing Newton Scamander would have been a blot on the Ministry's reputation. I would not be surprised if they sponsored the entire wedding. They are in dire need of public support and they will resort to almost anything to acquire it. I suppose gaining the favour of the "Gryffindor Princess" and an alleged traitor is not luring enough."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue over the extravagant title he had given her, but Severus waved it away and proceeded into the kitchen. Quickly changing tracks, she asked, "Do you cook?"

He snorted. "I was a potions master. I would have expected you to see the similarities between brewing up a potion and simmering some gravy."

"Yes, I suppose so. And sir… I mean, uh, Severus? Has the Ministry changed my surname?"

"No. The letter was probably devised to irk you. My letter seems to have a struck a sour note."

"Oh. Well then, um... If it's alright, I'll be going to meet Ginny now. I'll use the Floo."

He shrugged.

"Oh and thank you for the vial last night."

When Ginny questioned her later, she did not mention it, but she was quite certain that Severus had sighed after her mention of the previous night. Though, for all she knew, it could have been out of annoyance at her excessive chatter that morning.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve:

"Hi, Gin! Sorry, I'm a bit late. Did I keep you waiting?"

"No, that's alright. I'm glad you made it. We were so worried, you know?"

The two girls had agreed to meet at 12, Grimmauld Place and were deeply engrossed in conversation. Hermione told Ginny about her night, but didn't mention the identical vial that she had been given. Ginny, in turn, told her about how Harry and she had decided to move out of the order Headquarters and were on the lookout for a nice place to settle down.

"Say, Ginny, did you know that Draco called in Ministry favours for his marriage to be accepted?"

"Draco?"

"Malfoy."

"You're on first name basis with the git?"

"I have to, I'm married to his godfather. Urgh, it sickens me to even think of it that way…"

"But to answer your question, duh! How else would he be allowed to marry her? You know, I needed permission too - "parental consent". The law doesn't really apply to me yet, so there was this huge amount of paperwork that had to be done. Anyway, did you get the letter from Hogwarts?"

"No, what letter?"

"It got delivered this morning. Didn't you check your post?"

"I did... I sort of got distracted. I suppose I must have missed it. Why, what was it about?"

"They're calling us for the reopening of Hogwarts. Probably to cheer up the first-years. Professor McGonagall said that parents are quite apprehensive about sending their kids. Naturally so."

"Hmm. I guess."

"Why are you so broody today? What's on your mind?"

"Nothing much, just this whole law business. I can't believe they actually did it. I mean, so soon too!"

"Oh yeah, Harry says there's more to it than meets the eye."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, some "inside information" from the Ministry or something. He's barely just started his Auror field training and he already has insider sources. He says he'll elaborate when you're around. That man, I tell you, he underestimates my intelligence all the time! But well, I wouldn't expect anything else; he spent his entire school life with you. So come over one of these days, we need to sit down and have a chat, the three of us."

* * *

5:30 pm found Hermione pacing nervously in the waiting room of St. Mungo's Hospital, trying to figure out what was more worrisome - the impending Ministry recommended check up or the possibility that Severus would show up.

"Hermione Granger, if you would kindly step into the examination room."

Sighing deeply, Hermione entered what seemed to be a dimly lit medical examination room and identified half a dozen muggle equipment scattered on a table. She sincerely wished that she would be examined by an old matron like Poppy, though her hopes were shattered by the arrival of a young wizard who seemed to be in his early twenties.

 _Inexperienced Ministry brats who don't know what they're doing... Huff, I wonder if he even-_

"Hermione Snape?"

Biting down her growing frustration, she replied, "It's Granger, actually. I retained my surname and-"

"Let's not get into logistics now, my dear. I'm Augustus Pye and I shall be your Healer through the rigorous, but inevitable process that you will soon go through. Shall we proceed with the examination?"

 _My dear? Oh well, let's get over and done with this nonsense._

She lay down on the examination table and blinked rapidly when a bright light was thrown onto her face.

"Part of the procedure, not to worry at all. Now, if you will, chug down this potion and we can begin! It'll help calm you down. Examination can be pretty nerve-wracking."

The dark brown liquid bubbled and emanated a foul odour, which paled in comparison to its vile taste. She felt an odd tingling sensation between her legs and was shocked to see the Healer and his odd contraptions examining her private parts.

"You're doing perfectly well, my dear… just one more thing and we'll be done for now."

 _Is he…? What the hell? If I didn't know better, I'd say-_

"I was informed that this appointment was scheduled to be at 6 pm." Severus Snape stormed into the room, a deep frown and seething eyes speaking of his anger much louder than his words.

"Congratulations, Mr Snape. The two of you have indeed fulfilled the basic criteria. The device that I just inserted will keep track of your bedroom activities-" he winked, "-and you need to see me again in two weeks time. Please excuse me now, I have some urgent cases that need immediate attention. Good day."

With that, the short, podgy man left the room, an awkward silence consuming the space he had previously occupied.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. You needn't have come, really."

"You shouldn't have come alone. How supportive of the Potters to let you come here all by yourself."

"Harry had work and Ginny... Well, it doesn't matter, it was just a procedure and I'm fine anyway-"

"Are you sure?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"There have been more attacks, so I would really appreciate if you would stop the eye rolling."

Her mouth fell open.

"What?"

"Home. Now."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hey there! I know this is a really short chapter, but I've got a longer one typed and almost ready, so patience, young grasshoppers. Do leave your thoughts, I love reading your reviews. xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen:

So that was it, then. She was under house arrest. Grounded. For Merlin knew how long. The pink pamphlet proclaiming 'Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society' glared at her from the kitchen sill.

"So, Lee went missing this morning? Are you sure it's an attack?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and muttered, "For the third time, _yes._ I doubt that the potion given to you by that insufferable Healer would affect your auditory system and if you believe that my answer will change with every iteration, I would advise you to save your breath."

"But he isn't even Muggle-born!"

"I'm sorry but I hardly have any say on who they're going to target next."

"That's not what I meant…. What do we do now?"

" _You_ must stay here as much as you can and not go out alone. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is."

"I can take care of myself, if that's what you mean."

"I did not say anything to the contrary. You may not always have the most recent order updates so you need to-"

"I'm an order member! I do not see why I should be treated as anything less, especially in times like this-"

"And what _I_ fail to see, Miss Granger, is why you continue to remain stubborn in the light of recent events instead of doing what's best for you and everybody else."

"Miss Granger?! I'm your _wife_ , for Merlin's sake. Your equal. Not some student who you can boss over and be snarky and…. You know what, I'm off to Ginny's."

* * *

Ginny was a snotty, puffy-eyed mess when Hermione Flooed in. A picture album lay on the floor, and photos of her and Fred were strewn all over the place.

"Oh, Ginny, what's the matter?"

Her forehead crinkled with worry as she saw Harry patting her friend's back in a hopeless attempt to calm her down.

"She found the album Fred gave her on her birthday," Harry nodded towards the leather-bound book, which was undoubtedly home to countless happy memories.

"I used to tell them they were my favourite among all my brothers when I needed something done from them…." Ginny hiccoughed, as Hermione lit up a roaring fire with a flick of her wand. "I remember this one time when I wanted Fred's bat to try a hand at the Beater position, I told him he was the best brother ever when he gave it to me. I never managed to return it back." She sobbed into her hands.

"Hey, c'mon, Ginny, you're stronger than that. You know he probably never wanted it, or he would have pestered you to Azkaban and back till you gave it to him. You've got to be brave, alright? And you know what the best part is?"

Ginny blew her nose and shook her head.

"He went believing that he was your favourite brother. That's rather comforting, isn't it?"

The redhead threw her arms around Hermione, catching her by surprise. The girls tumbled to the floor and they were all in splits of laughter soon enough. It was a moment of sheer, unadulterated happiness; happiness at being together, at having someone to count on and laugh with. The moment, like all such things, came to an end, but it left them all, and Hermione in particular, with a lighter heart.

"Harry, what's this insider information Ginny mentioned?" Hermione asked once they had settled down with steaming cups of tea.

"Oh yes, that. Well, we have reason to believe that the Ministry is being influenced by former Death Eaters and uh, Muggle-haters, and that the Marriage Law was not an independent, unanimous decision. Kingsley, like he said, has his hands tied. The Wizengamot was coerced into passing the law."

"How do you know all this?"

"Oh, don't bother, Hermione," Ginny spoke up. "He's not willing to divulge his sources. Says he can't risk it."

"Are you kidding me?"

Harry shrugged.

"Well then, have you told the order?"

"Yeah, I spoke to McGonagall. I s'pose she's told the others. We think the attacks are related to this. Lee is an order member. Apparently they aren't bothered about blood status when it comes to one of us."

"And why the inter-blood-status marriage rule?"

"Snape thinks it's to weaken the Muggle-borns. They're counselling-"

"You spoke to Severus? When?"

"Had to. McGonagall insisted that he be there too. Anyway, as I was saying, they're counselling the half-blood or pure-blood spouse to subdue the muggle-born. Discreetly, of course. They aren't calling Snape because he's not going to do any of the stuff they tell him to, but they call the ones they think will follow what they say."

"Subdue?"

"Keep checks on who they meet, minimise their Muggle interactions, basically rule their lives."

"That's insane!"

"Which is why you need to listen to Snape. Lee was targeted because he wanted to marry one of his male mates. The Ministry obviously disapproved. You're Muggle-born and your husband isn't going to give a hairy troll's backside about where you go and what you do, like they'd want him to. For all you know, they'll want to get to you. You've seen the pamphlets, they're going all Umbridge over us. Just, listen to him, okay? I know I would never want to, but you're Hermione. Please?"

"Oh alright. You will be the death of me, you will. I'm going to get Ginny to make you dance to 'Do The Hippogriff' one of these days."

"You know I don't like that."

"Precisely why."

"Alright, the two of you, that's enough," Ginny said, pulling Hermione to her feet. "I need you to see this dress and tell me if it's fine for wearing to Hogwarts. Harry's giving me a headache with his absolute pig-headedness. He doesn't want to wear dress robes. Hmph, men, I tell you. One of these days…."

Shaking her head, Hermione let herself be led into a room, where she would inevitably spend the next couple of hours trying to turn down every dress she was handed and giving in to the least decorative one she could lay hands on.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello there! Huge shoutouts to everyone who reviews, I live for your them. Anyway, I'm off to college today, and my first year is gonna be extremely intense, so I really don't know when I'll write next. Sorry about this, I promise to try my best, but apologies in case I'm unable to write for a long while.**

 **Keep the reviews.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

The Great Hall was dimly lit, which came as a surprise to the attending alumni, who had come to associate it with liveliness and cheer. There was a hushed silence in the room, broken intermittently by murmurs and soft howls when feet were stamped over.

"Are you sure we're not late?" Hermione asked nervously, as she fiddled with the strap of her midnight blue dress.

"Yes, I'm sure, Hermione. Stop fretting." Ginny said reassuringly.

A sudden spotlight quelled the witch's doubts and the Headmistress stood on the podium, bathed in silvery light. She gave a sweeping glance around the room, cleared her throat and began to speak.

"A very warm welcome to all the students as well as ex-students present here tonight. Your mere presence helps diminish the memories of the hardships we faced, but it also serves as a reminder of the fact that all of you standing here fought for what is right and prevailed. We lost a lot of loved ones on multiple occasions and today we shall remember them all with gratitude, for they gave up their lives to make ours better."

She paused for a moment and then said, "To Albus." With a flick of her wand, a solitary candle at the far end of the room lit up. The students watched the flames for a few seconds and soon enough, there was whispering and wand flicking throughout the room. Hermione stood in a corner, watching the room light up, willing herself to ignite a candle. She did not go unobserved.

"Potter, are you really that blind?" Draco Malfoy said, leaning against a wall and taking in his surroundings.

"Not now, Malfoy. It's not quite the right occasion for duelling."

"Of course, that's all you Gryffindors think about, isn't it? I'm talking about Her- Granger."

Harry frowned at the blonde-haired man and then turned to look for his friend in the crowd.

"Right there."

Harry frowned once again and followed Draco's pointed finger. Intrigued, he asked, "What about her?"

"She doesn't seem off to you?"

"Off? Spill it, Malfoy, I really don't have the time right now. She's worried, yes, but I don't see how that concerns you."

"Well maybe it wouldn't if I hadn't had to talk her out of jumping off a cliff a few weeks ago."

"What?!"

"Let's go somewhere more private, shall we?"

* * *

"Merlin, Harry, this is crazy. I mean, I knew she was upset, but not... Suicidal!"

"Shh, Gin, keep it low," Harry whispered, as he twirled his wife to the soulful notes of the orchestra.

"Sorry. So, uh..." Ginny looked around and, satisfied that they were not being overheard, continued softly, "How did he happen to be there? I mean, I'm glad he was, but..."

"It was lady luck, I suppose. He said that he goes there occasionally and it was one of those days. Gin, what's to be done? We need to speak to her of course, but I think there's someone else we need to speak to as well. Maybe it'd be better if their relationship wasn't so caustic. I get that it must be incredibly hard, but they've got to try and be cordial."

"You're right. So is Malfoy; she's indeed lost weight. I can't believe I didn't notice! Especially after all the dress trials we had… I bet she's hiding her dark circles below a concealment charm. I'll talk to her. Do you think you can handle...?"

"I'll do it."

* * *

"Go on, you know you want to."

"Malfoy? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sweet Salazar, will it kill you to call me Draco?"

Hermione frowned. She'd forgotten yet again.

"Will you do it or should I? You know, he really won't appreciate me doing this," he said, gesturing to the glowing candles.

Sighing, Hermione flicked her wand and said, "To Ron."

"That's it, Granger."

"Good Godric, will it kill you to call me Hermione?" She smirked and turned away.

* * *

Harry approached the surly man cautiously, trying to figure out the best way to bring up the topic.

"And what is it that brings you to the fringes of this raucous party, Mr Potter?"

Startled, Harry stepped out of the shadows and decided to go for it head-on.

"With all due respect sir, I love Hermione like a sister. And I know her almost as well as she knows herself. Probably better. I don't know what you see, but I see her suffering. I can't be with her and help her all the time, I can't make her eat and help her sleep and figure out what it is that's wrong, but you can. Or you could hurt her, very badly. Believe me, Hermione is the strongest person I know, but she won't be the same if the world keeps rejecting that heart of hers."

He stared up at the man, searching desperately for some sign of acknowledgement.

"She chose this. She trusts you. It's the highest compliment she could give. All these years, and she's trusted only a handful of people to such a great degree. Please. If you can... if you would... do what you can for her."

Suddenly feeling out of place, but satisfied with his sincere attempt, he retreated back to the centre of the room, missing the almost imperceptible nod that he had inspired.

* * *

Severus paced back and forth, his shoes echoing throughout the hallway as he frowned at the dull voices coming from the Great Hall.

 _Minerva ought to send those pesky brats off, it's way past curfew. Especially Potter, he's definitely had one too many firewhiskeys. With all due respect?_ He snorted. _She trusts me? More like she wants to save her skin. Hmph. Where is she, anyway? It's been long enough. She should know better than to be late. Especially when she knew that I have prior commitments to fulfill. Commitments. Was it...? No, it couldn't have been six days since..._

He groaned. _Hadn't the Healer said something about a tracking device? Merlin have mercy. How was he to find her and tell her?_

Approaching footsteps pulled him out of his reverie and he schooled his features into a less agitated expression. He was somewhat relieved to see Hermione walking towards where he had been pacing, but his relief turned to alarm when he noticed her doubling up every few paces, clutching her stomach and moaning.

"Hermione?"

"Severus. I... uh, just excuse me, I'll be right back."

"No wait, does it... well, hurt?"

"Yes, I think I overate and my stomach... wait, what do you mean by 'it'?"

"The tracker."

"The tracker?" Her eyes widened in realisation. "Oh. Is it already... I mean, do we...?"

"Yes." He looked away. "I'm sorry I didn't keep track. I think we ought to return at the earliest. The longer we delay, the more uncomfortable it will get."

"But Professor McGonagall wanted me to speak to some of the first years. I don't think I can explain the situation to her... Is it possible... I mean, can we- argh!" She sank to her knees as a wave of agony struck her.

Clenching his jaw, Severus pulled her up and began leading her towards the staircase. Seven flights of half-carrying, half-dragging, and they turned to the left corridor to face the room that would give them just what they needed - privacy. The room was poorly lit, much to the relief of Hermione and was minimalistic, comprising a bed and a side table.

Despite having gone through the process multiple times, she still felt awkward and conscious about the fact that he could see her face and probably even decipher her thoughts from her expressions. It had always been the same. The potion, no contact apart from what was necessary and no interactions for a few hours after it was done.

"I'm sorry I don't have the potion with me right now. I can use a partially effective spell for myself, but I'd rather not try it on you given your current condition," he said as they walked towards the bed. "You may want to consider using some support."

 _It's going to hurt. Damn it, Hermione, how could you forget? And what does he mean by support?_

She soon realised what he had meant. It did indeed hurt, but her arms seemed to hurt even more, carrying the weight of her body as she tried to keep her torso off the bed. And the potion, oh how she longed for it. Her triceps seared and she gingerly kept one palm on Severus's shoulder. He tensed momentarily, but soon relaxed and continued the rhythmic motions she had grown accustomed to. She found that she was able to rest her torso on the bed by locking her hands behind his neck and although she felt it was too intimate a gesture, she had no choice. It was that or falling unconscious due to the pain and that was certainly not an option. The Ministry had been only too willing to conduct trials for those who didn't fulfill their requirements and ship people off to Azkaban without good cause.

No, she didn't want to rot in prison, or even have a case against her, so she pulled her husband closer to her body and linked her hands. His head brushed against her shoulder for an instant and she thought that maybe he needed to rest his upper body as well, but he mumbled an apology and rose up once again. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and the dampness that she had felt during the brief contact drew her to the realisation that it was as physically exhausting for him as it was mentally tiring for her. She had never really thought of what it all meant to him, and while she was far from having that conversation with him, she felt that the least she could do was to be considerate to him.

When she felt the familiar sensation against her legs, he began to get up and move away from the bed, but she tugged at his arm till he lay down beside her.

"What's the matter? Are you okay?" Severus asked, his voice laced with confusion.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hi readers. I've settled in college and I love it here! Again, I may not post for a long while, please bear with me.**

 **I've adopted a slightly different style in this chapter, it's more like small paragraphs at different settings and with different characters, so do let me know how it is.**

 **Also, I've borrowed a major chunk of Harry's dialogue to Severus from somewhere, but I can't find the source, so in case you do, let me know.**

 **I hope the tracking device part was well explained, basically she experiences abdominal pain due to the tracker when they're falling back on the Law requirements.**

 **Do I need to change the rating? It's not really M, is it?**

 **Send in your thoughts. Please review. xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: Hi readers! Sorry for the long gap, I had my examinations and I've been really busy. My exams got over today and I literally have classes tomorrow. I know it's no excuse, but still. I'll try to post again this week, I really will. Any suggestions for what you would like to read? Do send in your thoughts. xxx**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen:

"Hermione? Are you there?"

Hermione put down the book she had been reading and hurried towards the fireplace. Seeing Ginny's head engulfed by the flames, she said, "Come on in. I was just about to make some tea, would you like some?"

"Yes please. So, you left quite abruptly last night. Everything okay?"

"What? Yeah, everything's fine. Just fine. Nothing happened. Cream?" Hermione said, obviously flustered.

"No. I never asked if anything happened. What happened, what's the matter?"

"Really, nothing. How does it matter anyway? How much sugar?"

"Really? "How much sugar"? You know I don't put sugar in my tea. Hermione, will you please tell me what's wrong? I'm worried."

Hermione looked at the genuine concern in her friend's eyes. She sighed, "We had to… the Ministry requirement…" She averted her eyes.

"You had sex with Snape at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, mortified.

"Yes. Can you not say it like that? Urgh, this is why I didn't want to tell you."

Ginny said apologetically, "No no, I'm sorry, it's just… unexpected. Anyway, I meant what's wrong with you. In general. Not just last night. Please just tell me everything."

"I'm just not happy. I know it's not good to feel that way because you lost more than I did and he doesn't even get to live, so I have no right to feel this way, but I do. It's selfish and terrible, but I'm a bad person and-"

"Woah woah, calm down, Hermione," Ginny said as she summoned an empty cup, poured some tea and handed it to Hermione. "How does not being happy make you a bad person?"

"Because... I don't know. It just does. You won't get it."

"Try to explain, then."

"No, I-" The front door opened. "Look, they're back. Just leave this, Gin. I'm fine. I really am. Hi Harry, Severus, what's going on?"

"We think we have some leads on who they are or what they might be planning... thanks Gin." Harry said, as Ginny helped him with his dripping cloak.

"Gods, you two look under the weather. I'll get you some warm tea, give me a minute." Hermione bustled around the kitchen, now familiar with where everything was kept. It turned out that there was no house elf after all and that Severus was just an excellent closet chef, if that even made sense. Who would have thought, she mused.

Reentering the living room, she was surprised to find it empty. "Harry? Tea's ready," she called out.

"They said that they had some urgent work to look into at home," Severus said. "It's just the two of us then, I suppose."

"Oh. Well, he better not stay in those drenched clothes, he's bound to catch a cold." She noticed that he had changed, and thought that his informal shirt and pajamas suited him well. Barring the colour of course. She would have to do something about his lack of wardrobe vibrancy. Black did look good on him, no doubt, but all the time? Maybe not. Ginny would have a field day if I let her lay hands on him… If _he_ lets her, rather. She snorted at the mental image of Ginny trying to assemble a passable wardrobe for Severus.

"Something funny?" Severus inquired, inspecting his outfit for signs of humour.

"No, nothing. This looks good on you."

"Thank you. Dumbledore gave it to me as a Christmas present years ago. I never really wore it much."

"You should." She leaned forward to unfasten the topmost button of the shirt and felt him pull back. Ignoring his subtle movement, she popped open the button and stood back to appraise him. "Hmm, better. You look more laid back now."

After a long silence, he said, "Looking happy makes no sense if you're hurting inside."

"Are you hurting inside?"

"You are."

"I don't-"

"Don't. I get it if you don't want to talk about it, especially with me. I know that I'm probably the last person you'd turn to. But I want you to know that if you don't have anyone else to seek out, I'll be there. This isn't easy for you, but you have got to make the most of it. Your friends worry about you. Talk to them."

"Uh, I don't quite know what to say… Thank you?"

"The tea was quite nice. You're getting there." And with that, he left her with her swirling thoughts, wondering what had come over him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Hello readers. I would like to apologize profusely for my absence in the last half year. I have been extremely busy with college and I managed to complete my first year. I now have a two month long summer break staring at me in the face and I shall try to write as much as I can. I will be going for a week long holiday next week, so there might be some break, but I will definitely make up for lost time. Hope you like this chapter, I tried to make it slightly longer than normal. Do send in ideas and suggestions, I've become rusty. xxx**

Chapter Sixteen:

Yaxley. Travers. Greyback.

And who knew how many more. They had been released from Azkaban. No, what had they called it? "On parole and subject to constant further enquiry." Sure.

The Ministry was getting away which such stupidity, with such ease. Could it be possible that everyone was so busy setting their matrimonial obligations straight that they turned a blind eye to what was happening to the world around them? Or did they just fail to realise what implications all this would have - the law, these releases, all of it.

What were they trying to do? Who were "they" anyway? Ex-Death Eaters? Muggle haters associated with the Ministry, like Harry had said? There had been no killings, no, they wouldn't resort to that so soon after the war. Just attacks on muggle-borns. And now Order members. Well, we still don't know if they're showing mercy to Order members or not; hopefully Lee is okay wherever he is. Shouldn't the Order be doing something?

Hermione made a mental note to speak to Harry (or maybe Severus, she grudgingly realised) about the whole thing. How her life had turned upside down, from the hope of a good life with a man she loved, to trying to make herself as scarce as possible in the presence of a man she respected, no doubt, but would seemingly never understand. He had taken a step forward and said a few kind words, but was she to take them on face value? Was she expected to sit him down and tell him about everything that haunted her nights? What she had with Draco, even, was easier to understand. Reliable. She didn't trust him as much as she did, say, Harry, but the knowledge that he had opened up to her as well offered some semblance of comfort.

 _Imagine Severus crying on my shoulder._

She snorted at the mental image and then bent double as a shooting pain hit her in the stomach. _Argh, great. Just what I need before our biweekly, err, event; an upset stomach. I had an inkling that the noodles were sort of weird, they had this odd taste to them, I should've just suggested that we ordered… But he looked so pleased with what he'd made, I couldn't possibly… Not after the being-nice attempts he'd made. Oh well, I'll just take a potion for it._

The front door opened and she heard the familiar sound of her husband walking into the living room. She smiled softly as her mind wandered back to happier days.

" _Come now, Hermione, off you go to the land of dreams. Look, your father's back from work, the door just opened."_

" _But mother, how do you know it's him and not grandma or grandpa or cousin Nina?"_

 _Her mother smiled and stroked her hair. "When you know someone so well that you know it's them just by the sound of their footsteps…"_

"You look pleased."

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she shrugged and sat on the couch. The past few times they'd chosen the couch instead of the bed. Probably to avoid the awkwardness as one stayed while the other left the bedroom, eyes averted.

Severus stood where he was, absently observing Hermione.

 _Was that a question? He didn't really ask why I was smiling. Why does he look like he's expecting an answer? Oh well, what's the harm really._

Out loud, she said, "I was reminded of how my mother always knew when my father entered the house merely by the sound of his footsteps when you opened door. It's silly because it couldn't have been anyone else but you, but…"

"I can tell it's you in Order meetings by the smell of your hair," he murmured as he sat beside her and took off his shoes. She stared at his forwardness for a moment, shook her head and proceeded to lay back and lift her robes up, a silent procedure they had perfected over the weeks.

"Oh Merlin," she gasped at the red stain that greeted her, quickly pulling down her robes and jumping off the couch. "It wasn't the noodles."

"What?" Severus asked, confused.

"I'm sorry, uh, do we have to.. Err today? I don't think I can."

"Well, it's the last day of the week, so... Why, what's the matter?" His earnest eyes bore into hers, a tinge of worry flooding the black pools.

"Nothing, just uhh, my stomach kind of hurts and umm, I don't really have a potion right now; it'd be very messy and…" She fiddled with a stray lock of hair and looked at the floor tiles like they were Van Gogh masterpieces.

"Hermione, tell me. What is it?" His voice became more gentle and he took a step towards her.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to look up at him. "I'm menstruating. I don't have the potion I usually take during this time to stop the flow for a few hours. I'd use one of those muggle contraptions to help reduce it, but they irritate my skin. But I think I should anyway, I'll be right back, hold on-"

"Hermione. It's okay. You don't need to."

"But it'll be messy and-"

"It's fine. Really."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He said, directing her back to the couch.

* * *

"Ooooh Hermione, period sex is said to be even more stimulating. How was it? Was it good? Spill. Now."

 _Well. What do I say to that? I mean, it was… Not good, was it? No, "good" wasn't really the word. But well, not bad. There had been that surprised gasp towards the end and her body had reacted oddly to the sensation of Severus's breath on her shoulder. Much like when Ron had kissed her for the first time. Merlin, this is all wrong._

She sighed.

"Hermione, it's okay if you did like it, you know," Ginny whispered, a knowing look lurking in her eyes. "It really is."

"But… But Ron."

"You promised you'd move on, didn't you? He'd hate for you to be miserable like this. Just let go of everything and feel whatever you feel without letting it get to you. It's perfectly okay. If he actually is trying to be a good husband like I think he is, give him a chance. Don't build up walls. Let him in. He's a good man."


End file.
